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Hinckley leisure centre


Pga1

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Hiya folks,  hinclkley leisure  centre is being  demolished in march- april. Not the greatest of  venues for me as for me ( sports hall)  but  some great times there   Ric  tic revue.  Etc .  Would love to hear some  memories.  Cheers

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9 hours ago, Pga1 said:

Hiya folks,  hinclkley leisure  centre is being  demolished in march- april. Not the greatest of  venues for me as for me ( sports hall)  but  some great times there   Ric  tic revue.  Etc .  Would love to hear some  memories.  Cheers

Pretty much the start of it all for me....happy days, so sad to hear it's going..........I'm sure I remember it being built actually!!

Some memories for you............

 

Cheers,

Mark R

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Had some great  nights there memories of it being a free for all to get in early doors might of been the M.Lance one cant remember really but that seems to stick in my mind ? Edwin Starr Martha Reeve  Major Lance and Jr Walker missed the Ric tic nighter what a one to miss working what was the club over the road turned up one night expected the Leisure Centre and ended up there - Chris King was making it happen then Happy days !

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Cracking line up mark, last group I remember appearing was tavares 87 ish  I think ?  Was with my old mate last night, think that was his first job on site. Regards the club across road  the old regent  club now long gone had a few nights early mid 8ts.  Cheers

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2 hours ago, Pga1 said:

Cracking line up mark, last group I remember appearing was tavares 87 ish  I think ?  Was with my old mate last night, think that was his first job on site. Regards the club across road  the old regent  club now long gone had a few nights early mid 8ts.  Cheers

Martha Reeves Regent Club!  :thumbsup:

 

Cheers,

Mark R

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Great  Memories   of Hinckley  Leisure Centre  My First Allnighter .. I Danced with Edwin Starr  Live on Stage just wish there was footage of it would love to see it i even  remember  seeing Andrew Baskett and All his mates  in The Crowd Watching The Show Who would have thought that we would be living the Dream after all these years .. We Now Run Hinckley Northern Soul With Wayne Hayes at The Clarendon Club witch is now in it 13th year .. It  was The Sweet Pea Club back in the Day ..  Like i Said Great Memories..  

 

love Sam Evans xx

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One of my Biggest memories of Hinckley Leisure Centre Allnighter is the night Chris King told us Jackie Wilson had finally died after years in a coma (which the Temptations had paid for 13 years healthcare wise as I remember). It was a (1st?) anniversary with over 2000 people there and you could have heard a pin drop. Biggest respect I've ever seen on the scene. I was very moved as he was, and still is my musical hero, always stayed with me that night.

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never missed one leisure centre  SOOO many memories for me at this venue,,,to this day I have never seen so many people at a venue like the ric tic review,,,tommy hunt and gene chandler in the small room,,,Edwin stars performance in the big room.......the floods of dancers rushing from the gym benches to fortune teller and benny troy which were massive oldies....the glass windows bending (about to shatter) at the 1st anniversary whilst trying to get in.....great memories ,,,,chris king take a bow mate....

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My first allnighter (Curtis Mayfield) courtesy of Tony Adams from Banbury (where I was at college)... Funnily enough I didn't enjoy it that much - but I was a daft little mod at the time and rather overwhelmed and under-wrecked.

I remember in later years (86 or 7) a porn magazine being passed round at Knutsford by Geordie Martin (this was around his spud gun period) which much to everyone's amusement contained a long and detailed letter from two girls claiming they went to the nighter regularly to get off their heads and pick up lads to go at round the back by the bins.

Dx

Edited by DaveNPete
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12 hours ago, Mark Jones said:

One of my Biggest memories of Hinckley Leisure Centre Allnighter is the night Chris King told us Jackie Wilson had finally died after years in a coma (which the Temptations had paid for 13 years healthcare wise as I remember). It was a (1st?) anniversary with over 2000 people there and you could have heard a pin drop. Biggest respect I've ever seen on the scene. I was very moved as he was, and still is my musical hero, always stayed with me that night.

Was there too Mark! LOL

I think the 1st Anniversary was the nighter directly after Ric-Tic, Jan 30th or something???

 

Cheers,

Mark R

3 hours ago, wiganer1 said:

never missed one leisure centre  SOOO many memories for me at this venue,,,to this day I have never seen so many people at a venue like the ric tic review,,,tommy hunt and gene chandler in the small room,,,Edwin stars performance in the big room.......the floods of dancers rushing from the gym benches to fortune teller and benny troy which were massive oldies....the glass windows bending (about to shatter) at the 1st anniversary whilst trying to get in.....great memories ,,,,chris king take a bow mate....

Fortune Teller Mark, yes...........Tune Up too.............and the glass doors............sounds like the night I keeled over in the queue!! :-(

 

Cheers,

Mark R

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Twas the time after Wigan had closed and was thinking that it was the end of NS and then Hinkley Leisure Centre came along, a massive sports hall. Great memories of the Ric Tic revue, Edwin mingling and dancing with the crowd,
Lou Ragland walking past, knew it was him because he'd got his name on his guitar strap :)

Met Curtis Mayfield there on one occassion, what a lovely fellow, although at the time I didn't think much of his stage show about 2 months later it sort of hit me with a delayed action just how good he had been.

When it stopped, so did I moving more onto the House scene, still kept collecting Soul records though :thumbsup:

Shame they are pulling it down but nothing lasts forever eh! :(

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On 2/11/2016 at 01:38, Pga1 said:

Hiya folks,  hinclkley leisure  centre is being  demolished in march- april. Not the greatest of  venues for me as for me ( sports hall)  but  some great times there   Ric  tic revue.  Etc .  Would love to hear some  memories.  Cheers

Remember looking at that piano Al kent was playing, and thinking they can only smash it up when it's over!, it looked very old and f---in huge. Some fellow had several copies of Charles Johnson at £4. Don't remember much else.

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4 hours ago, DaveNPete said:

My first allnighter (Curtis Mayfield) courtesy of Tony Adams from Banbury (where I was at college)... Funnily enough I didn't enjoy it that much - but I was a daft little mod at the time and rather overwhelmed and under-wrecked.

I remember in later years (86 or 7) a porn magazine being passed round at Knutsford by Geordie Martin (this was around his spud gun period) which much to everyone's amusement contained a long and detailed letter from two girls claiming they went to the nighter regularly to get off their heads and pick up lads to go at round the back by the bins.

Dx

Did you manage to find them? LOL  ;-)

Cheers,

Mark R

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22 minutes ago, Mark R said:

:)

56be54fd92364_Hinckley1.jpg.303dfb0b4975

Mentioned this a few times on different threads,  but........................................

I know a geezer from Nottingham who was Gene's tour drummer. Apparently, at breakfast after a gig in some hotel the drummer - can't remember his name but will try, asked Gene about the scoff. Gene said give the boy biscuits - I assume some Americanism in there.

 

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Guest southpaw
On ‎11‎/‎02‎/‎2016 at 16:03, becker154 said:

Had some great  nights there memories of it being a free for all to get in early doors might of been the M.Lance one cant remember really but that seems to stick in my mind ? Edwin Starr Martha Reeve  Major Lance and Jr Walker missed the Ric tic nighter what a one to miss working what was the club over the road turned up one night expected the Leisure Centre and ended up there - Chris King was making it happen then Happy days !

Yes that was a good night, remember not getting to one nighter there till 3am for some reason :-)  will have to ask  a few mates if they can remember why,great times

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1 hour ago, Roburt said:

Went to a few nighters there even though it was a long drive from Worksop for me. Remember meeting Chuck Jackson backstage there (Dave Evison took me back there with him for a chat with the great singer) ....

 

ChuckJackson.jpg

My everlasting memory of the Chuck gig was when he took his tan leather jacket off and swung it around his head and threw it seeming to almost land on one of the band members!!

Cheers,

Mark R

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16 years old i was,had some great times there,didnt it have flourescent lighting in there ? or am i thinking of somewhere else,i remember getting smashed in the mouth by a older bloke who had just gone into a big spin,he spent the rest of the night apologising to this baby faced fella(me),great memories of, for me, the golden years of the soul scene,and they say the scene was dead in the early 80s !

jason

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My brother used to go the do's at Hinckley, he worked at batchelor bowls the Vauxhall dealership in The town as a mechanic.....not sure he was into it properly, oh well...used to knock about with a lad called Dave watts who loved soul music/northern from Hinckley, anyone know him?....was my brothers best man.....nice post Pete, thank you....Rob

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Hiya, yeah knew dave a bit younger than me nice bloke, not seen him for ages. Will ask about.  While on this there was some nighters at the old tiffs which was called bubbles at the time early 8ts. Think they were run by nog & Chris king, anyone remember ?  Cheers

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18 minutes ago, Pga1 said:

Hiya, yeah knew dave a bit younger than me nice bloke, not seen him for ages. Will ask about.  While on this there was some nighters at the old tiffs which was called bubbles at the time early 8ts. Think they were run by nog & Chris king, anyone remember ?  Cheers

Cheers Pete lad......remember bubbles matey but no soul do's there.....see what you can find out about watty though pal.....prob not about but you never know!.......Rob

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What was the layout here - I can remember seeing the Ric Tic review in a very large room, but also on another occasion I remember listening to Dave Evison D.J.ing in a smaller room, and was there a record bar upstairs at any time? Remember getting Edwin Starr's autograph in some foyer? - Must have seen him there, and were there some large trucks outside for a "Major Lance Live At Hinckley" album? so must have seen him there - Very sketchy memories that don't quite fit together - be nice to see a time line, as back up to my ever failing memory!!!

Des

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1 hour ago, chalky said:

When did the allnigers start at Hinkley? Was it Kingy on his own or did he have a partner?

obviously an influential venue in the early to mid 80's so I'd like to get the time line sorted and other facts. 

Anyone have an email for Chris?

Chalky,

On a general note first, your impending book means that I MUST get in my loft for flyers/memorabilia!!

My 2nd nighter there was the 1st anniversary, a few weeks after Ric-Tic review, so must have started in Feb '82.  I think those early nights were Week End Soul Club, Chris King and Terry Sampson from Gainsborough........later of course Hole In The Wall etc.........

Badge.jpg.535d5dcddf153e086c8efe78c7c07e

 

Cheers,

Mark R

 

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13 minutes ago, SOUL INC said:

What was the layout here - I can remember seeing the Ric Tic review in a very large room, but also on another occasion I remember listening to Dave Evison D.J.ing in a smaller room, and was there a record bar upstairs at any time? Remember getting Edwin Starr's autograph in some foyer? - Must have seen him there, and were there some large trucks outside for a "Major Lance Live At Hinckley" album? so must have seen him there - Very sketchy memories that don't quite fit together - be nice to see a time line, as back up to my ever failing memory!!!

Des

Sports halls.......obviously, big room on one side (Ric-Tic)/anniversary etc...........small hall back corner near rear car park...........smaller events in hear, though my memory tells me the Gene Chandler gig was in the small hall.

Used to have audience seating out for the bigger events.....I remember it for the Ric-Tic and the Chuck Jackson gigs.......

There was a Major Lance live at Hinckley LP......this was before I started going ('82) but I borrowed the album off someone and taped it years ago, must have the tape somewhere............LP cover was a simple monochrome affair.....white with B&W picture of Major and "Major Lance Live at Hinckley" in black text...........

 

Cheers,

Mark R

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Good stuff mark, can't  remember seeing the major live album only the torch  one.  Unless I had seen it and thought it was torch re issue, it's the beer you know. No one remember the bubbles do's  ? May have been before leisure centre ? Cheers

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11 minutes ago, Pga1 said:

Good stuff mark, can't  remember seeing the major live album only the torch  one.  Unless I had seen it and thought it was torch re issue, it's the beer you know. No one remember the bubbles do's  ? May have been before leisure centre ? Cheers

Like Rob, I remember Bubbles (The Horsefair), but never went to soul do's there.......I'm guessing it was before Leisure as you say....I remember Bubbles from my older brother going there when I was too young for all that.......that's what makes me think it was before Leisure etc......I don't think it was still Bubbles much after the all niters at HLC started........

 

Cheers,

Mark R

14 minutes ago, Pga1 said:

Good stuff mark, can't  remember seeing the major live album only the torch  one.  Unless I had seen it and thought it was torch re issue, it's the beer you know. No one remember the bubbles do's  ? May have been before leisure centre ? Cheers

Oh, and I borrowed the Major at the Torch LP and taped that too......suspect I still have it somewhere!!

 

Cheers,

Mark R

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Guest Johnny One Trout
1 hour ago, SOUL INC said:

What was the layout here - I can remember seeing the Ric Tic review in a very large room, but also on another occasion I remember listening to Dave Evison D.J.ing in a smaller room, and was there a record bar upstairs at any time? Remember getting Edwin Starr's autograph in some foyer? - Must have seen him there, and were there some large trucks outside for a "Major Lance Live At Hinckley" album? so must have seen him there - Very sketchy memories that don't quite fit together - be nice to see a time line, as back up to my ever failing memory!!!

Des

Ric Tic Revue also made an appearance at the Ritz in Manchester (All Dayer if I recall correctly)

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I seem to remember going there to see the Marvelettes (but I could be wrong, as I do remember being ill on those long benches, after eating something). We had a minibus from Preston with Derek Smith driving.

Was it the Marvelettes? Can anyone confirm or deny, please?

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3 minutes ago, Louis said:

I seem to remember going there to see the Marvelettes (but I could be wrong, as I do remember being ill on those long benches, after eating something). We had a minibus from Preston with Derek Smith driving.

Was it the Marvelettes? Can anyone confirm or deny, please?

Don't remember Marvelettes........Supremes maybe?

 

Cheers,

Mark R

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Chuck Jackson, Tommy hunt and others played at Maddison's nightclub in Nuneaton as well when Chris King ran it.....mark freeman can tell you them all....bit like Mark R has said I was sadly to young to see them...oh well it opens up another avenue these live acts played.....kind regards...Rob

Edited by Lionelonthevinyl
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2 hours ago, Mark R said:

Like Rob, I remember Bubbles (The Horsefair), but never went to soul do's there.......I'm guessing it was before Leisure as you say....I remember Bubbles from my older brother going there when I was too young for all that.......that's what makes me think it was before Leisure etc......I don't think it was still Bubbles much after the all niters at HLC started........

 

Cheers,

Mark R

Oh, and I borrowed the Major at the Torch LP and taped that too......suspect I still have it somewhere!!

 

Cheers,

Mark R

Definitely all nighters at bubbles Mark round about 1980 I think , Chris King the promoter , yep and before the leisure centre .  does any body remember the steering wheel in Hinckley ? , the place to be before the nighters ...

Boff ..

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The steering wheel, spinning wheel,  valley lodge.  Long gone, mr Superbad used to dj there ( let me tell you about this great new lp from k. Tel,  souled out.  Tv ad).  Think there were soul do's every night in Hinckley & Nuneaton.   Cheers

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Went to a few of the Hinckley niters - including the Eddie Holman one. Always remember them as being predominantly oldies and I was way into the dark side by then. Having said that I definitely remember Pat Brady playing a few newies one night - Garfield Fleming being one. 

That of course could be total bollox - as, after all, it was a long time ago!

Peter

:hypo:

 

 

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2 hours ago, boff said:

Definitely all nighters at bubbles Mark round about 1980 I think , Chris King the promoter , yep and before the leisure centre .  does any body remember the steering wheel in Hinckley ? , the place to be before the nighters ...

Boff ..

Was going to say The Steering Wheel became the Valley Lodge, but someone beat me to it!  Didn't know that was the regular pre-niter haunt, but used to go there for beers years later when it was the Valley Lodge.  Pre-niter for me was the kebab shop down the road a bit....across the first junction on the left but before the main cross-roads.

Who remembers the Alkin(?) Suite in Hinckley WMC on Monday nights???

 

Cheers,

Mark R

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